The following day at GSMH was slow. Herman was away at a conference in Olympia, and Arizona found herself diving into a stack of case files she had been assigned to read through. Arizona was grateful for the quiet, and shut herself away in Herman's office. She had been up most of the night thinking about what she would do if she bumped into Lauren again. Or rather when. When was she starting here anyway? Callie had been amazingly matter-of-fact about it when she came to collect Sophia after her shift last night. Arizona had felt so weak running away from her yesterday, but when push came to shove, the conversation had been better than she felt she deserved. No, Callie was not happy about it, but she acknowledged that Boswell was a good doctor and that if she had any sense, she'd keep her distance. Arizona didn't doubt that Lauren would steer clear of Callie, but she was still nervous. The Leah phase was a particular parallel, as Arizona was reminded of how hard it was for Callie to keep her head up in that situation. Still, she mused, time had passed since then and Callie had made a concious decision to end things. But Lauren...that wasn't just a fling. That was a deal-breaker. It was a most beautiful disaster.

Behind Arizona, the door opened, followed by a knock.

'Hey, I thought you'd be here,' Amelia said.

Arizona turned around. 'Most people approach their entry in the other order, you know. Knock then open?'

'You're absolutely right. But I'm not most people and I've had a shitty morning already and I need to eat. Have you got any snacks?'

'Sorry, no. I do know where they stash the lollipops in NICU though.'

Amelia came in and took a seat next to Arizona, kicking the door shut behind her. 'Oh, you temptress!' she jokes. 'What you up to anyway? Studying?'

'Pretending to,' Arizona admitted.

'You can't hide from Callie forever, you know?'

'I'm not – we spoke last night. It's all in the past and she's being very good about it. I guess I'm just thinking.'

'About Dr Boswell? Geez, I still haven't seen her around. Is she here? Have you had your chat with her?'

Arizona pulled a timorous face. 'I spoke to Avery and got her hotel address, but I chickened out.'

Amelia opened her mouth to chastise her friend, but Arizona quickly intervened for herself. 'So, I called her room and got the voicemail. I left a message and she hasn't gotten back. I feel like a right idiot if you must know.'

'I'm sure there's a very good reason for her not replying. She was probably having some steamy I-need-to-get-over-Arizona sex.'

Arizona drops her head into her palms. 'Don't!'

Amelia smiles. 'Look, I'm going to leave you here to study, ok? Study – not mope – while I go hunt out some food. Sweet as the shared confidence was, I don't think a lollipop's gonna cut it.'

She gets up to leave,and swoops down and plants a kiss on Arizona's cheek. Arizona looks up at her in bewilderment.

'I have no idea why I kissed you, but when I get an urge, I just see it through. Nice skin, by the way.'

'Well thank you I guess,' Arizona laughs, touching her face where Amelia's lips had just graced her. 'I'll catch you later. Joe's?'

'Yeah, it's a date!'

Nice skin? It's a date? Amelia left the room perplexed. Was she flirting with Arizona? Sure, they shared a cheeky banter, but kissing her goodbye? Feeling this familiar flutter in her stomach? Feeling it for Arizona? She probably just got caught up in the moment...but there wasn't even a moment. It just seemed like the thing to do. Maybe they were becoming too co-dependant? Ah, screw that. They're two good friends who joke flirt and kiss each other goodbye when they leave a room. Shit. Amelia dismissed all thoughts on the matter and resolved to find some food. She headed up a floor to the attendings' lounge where there were always food stuffs lying around. She wasn't disappointed. Upon entering the lounge, she realised she was alone, and had a rummsge in the fridge. Nothing too appealing, save a pot of soy yoghurt. She grabbed it and swiped a packet of pistachios lying on the counter then threw herself down on the comfy sofa. Bliss! She had a mouth full of nuts even as she ripped open the yoghurt tub and took her first spoonful. She knew she was a bit of a grub when it came to eating, but for her, food was a means to an end and not something to be precious about. 'Mmm,' she managed whilst stuffing in more nuts.

'You want a drink to go with that?'

Amelia looked up, horrified that she'd been sprung, to put a face to the seductive Southern drawl.

'Mmm,' she nodded, 'Goog fanks,' then swallowed and cleared her throat. 'Sorry, I was just...'

'I can see,' Lauren smiled.

Fuck. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Amelia had imagined Lauren bumping into her when she was all bad-ass and doctor-y. She would have told her to treat Arizona well and that she'd come find her if her friend got hurt. That macho approach, you know? Damn straight. But wait, back to reality. Lauren, all demure and kinda mesmerising, had just floated into the room to find her stuffing her face with other peoples' lunch. Nice one, Shepherd.

She was aware of a long graceful hand reaching to her. She took it as Lauren said 'We weren't formally introduced the other night. I'm Lauren Boswell.'

'Amelia Shepherd. Brains.'

Lauren lets out a small guffaw. 'I'd have said looks.'

'I'm sorry?!'

'I said, you've a strong right hook.'

Amelia looked down to see that she was, in fact, still gripping Lauren's hand slightly too tightly and shaking it slightly too vigorously.

Fuck, she thought. I need to get my hearing checked out.

'Anyway, you're friends with Arizona?' Lauren didn't waste her time.

Regaining composure, Amelia confirms that she and Arizona are indeed extremely good friends and happen to be working very closely together at the moment. Why did she feel she had to boast about it?

With a pensive nod, Lauren looked around the room and said 'Right, well I'd better get back to work. First day and all. I only came in for my yoghurt, but I can pick another one up later.'

'Oh hell, I'm sorry! Let me - '

'It's fine, really,' Lauren assures her. You seemed more desperate than me. Well is sure was nice to meet you properly, Dr Shepherd Brains. Do hope to run into you and Dr Robbins real soon. Actually, if you see her...'

'Yes?'

'...could you please give her this?'

Amelia is presented with Lauren's business card. The delicacy with which Lauren deftly produced it and tucked it neatly into Amelia's breast pocket was simply one thing: smooth. Amelia could see exactly why Arizona had fallen so hard for this woman. She had a knack!

Smiling, Amelia agreed to pass the card on, but then heard the words why don't you join us at Joe's this evening? Who said them? Why was her mouth moving?!

'I'd like that very much,' Lauren responded. 'I'll see you both there?'

Astonished, Amelia's mouth said Great! And their encounter came to its close as Lauren glided past her and out of sight.

Arizona picked up her cell phone. 'Amelia?'

'So...Joe's tonight. You, me, hot doctor you haven't managed to talk with properly since your wreck-less, adulterous encounter last year. Oops?'

'You saw her? You invited her to Joe's?! She's coming? Amelia!'

'OK so I hear the panic and I should have expected the panic, so I'm just gonna say...try not to panic. Yes to all of the above, and yay! Can't wait!'

She flips her cell phone off and heads back to work hoping that Arizona doesn't hate her for too long. She checked the clock. Only four little hours until their three-way date. Amelia had a voice at the back of her mind telling her to conveniently become unavailable and leave them to it, and yet there was another voice encouraging her to go with the flow. And with Amelia, that second voice was always just that little bit louder...